In Europe, it looks like the gas-powered car is reaching the end of the road.
On Wednesday, the British government promised to ban sales of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles starting in 2040, suggesting that it could be just a matter of decades before they disappear from the streets. One country’s ban isn’t mode-shifting on its own, but Britain is far from alone here. France announced a similar 2040 ban earlier this month. Norway is being even more proactive, aiming to phase out petrol and diesel car sales by 2025—in this case with a substantial tax on them compared to electric vehicles, rather than a total ban. A post-2025 ban is currently wending its way through the Dutch Parliament, and pressure is even growing across the political spectrum in Germany for similar action, though the country’s powerful manufacturing lobby may slow progress there. Outside the continent, India has also promised to sell only electric vehicles from 2030.
